Get in the Game: Understanding Today's Workforce Playing Field

Center for State and Local Government ExcellenceNational Association of State Personnel Executives

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Webinar Presenters

Gerald YoungSenior Research AssociateCenter for State and Local Government Excellencegyoung@slge.org / @GeraldYoungSLGE

Leslie ScottExecutive DirectorNational Association of State Personnel Executiveslscott@csg.org / www.naspe.net

Center for State and Local Government Excellence

Promote excellence in local and state governments so they can attract and

retain talented public servants.

• Workforce demographics and development

• Public sector retirement benefits• Health and wellness benefits

Center for State and Local Government Excellence

SLGE / IPMA-HR / NASPE Workforce Survey Series

• Initial survey in 2009 on state/local workforce and the recession

• Larger trends in recruitment, retention, benefits, and other key workforce issues

2018 Survey ResultsState agencies only

• Employment/compensation cuts have slowed

• Recruiting is becoming more difficult• Flexibly employment practices prevalent• Benefit changes focused on employee

contributions

Recent Employment Actions

0%

4%

7%

7%

9%

11%

18%

20%

22%

31%

31%

33%

56%

87%

Pay cuts

Other

Pay freezes

Early retirement incentives

None

Furloughs

Hiring freezes

Layoffs

Travel or training restrictions

Narrow, position-specific increases

Broad-based pay increases

Re-employment of retired govt. staff

Hired contract or temporary employees

Hired employees

Recent Employment Actions

0%

4%

7%

7%

9%

11%

18%

20%

22%

31%

31%

33%

56%

87%

Pay cuts

Other

Pay freezes

Early retirement incentives

None

Furloughs

Hiring freezes

Layoffs

Travel or training restrictions

Narrow, position-specific increases

Broad-based pay increases

Re-employment of retired govt. staff

Hired contract or temporary employees

Hired employees

Up from 70% in 2015

Employment Actions: Trend

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2009 2012 2015 2018

Hiring freezesPay freezesFurloughsLayoffsPay cuts

Overall Employment

See: slge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2017-SLGE-infographic-workforce-trends.pdf

Hard to Fill Positions

2%

0%

2%

0%

4%

4%

7%

11%

0%

2%

11%

4%

7%

4%

4%

9%

7%

16%

13%

9%

9%

11%

11%

11%

13%

16%

16%

16%

22%

24%

24%

24%

27%

27%

29%

31%

38%

42%

Emergency dispatchers

Policing

Business and financial operations

Management (mid-level)

Equipment operators/drivers (CDL)

Skilled trades

Health care: Other

Other

Engineering

Human services

Health care: Physicians

Health care: Mental health professionals

IT: Support

Corrections/jails

Accounting

IT: Web development

IT: Network administration

IT: Other

Health care: Nursing

Gig Economy Positions

4%4%4%4%4%4%4%

7%7%7%

9%11%11%

13%16%

18%

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

Interpretation and translationBuilding and grounds cleaning

Equipment operators/drivers (CDL)Skilled trades

Health care: Mental health professionalsCorrections/jails

AccountingHealth care: Other

IT: SupportIT: Network administration

IT: Web developmentOther

Health care: PhysiciansHealth care: Nursing

IT: OtherOffice and administrative support

Hard to Fill Positions: Trend

5%

17%

40%38%

31%29%

24%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

2009 2012 2015 2018

Information technologyIT: OtherIT: Network administrationIT: Web developmentIT: SupportHealth care: NursingEngineeringSkilled trades

Hiring: Trend Compared to the prior fiscal year

39%

25%

18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

2012 2015 2018

More people than itdid the previous year

The same number ofpeople it did theprevious year

Less people than it didthe previous year

Skills Sought

16%

23%

30%

34%

50%

66%

68%

70%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Social media

Other

Finance

Public speaking/presentations

Management

Written communications

Technology

Interpersonal

Flexible Employment Practices

7%

18%

24%

40%

62%

64%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Other

Job sharing

No flex work practices are offered

Regular telework for eligible positions

Flexible schedule (e.g., 4 days, 10 hours)

Flexible work hours

Flexible Employment Practices

7%

18%

24%

40%

62%

64%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Other

Job sharing

No flex work practices are offered

Regular telework for eligible positions

Flexible schedule (e.g., 4 days, 10 hours)

Flexible work hours

Up from 6% in 2016

Separations

8%

33%43%33%

5%

10%

33% 33%

21%

28% 30% 26%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Layoffs Quits Retirements

Higher than the year before Lower than the year beforeSame as the year before Don't know

Retirement Planning: Of retirement-eligible employees

46%

33%

40%

20%

13%

38%

15%

20%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

2009 2012 2015 2018

Postponed their retirement

Accelerated their retirementdate

Changes in Retirement and Health Benefits, Compared to the Prior Year

49%

62%

75%

56%

33%

64%

41%

27%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2009 2012 2015 2018

Health (for employees andretirees)Retirement

Retirement Changes

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Instituted auto-enrollment in suppl. DC plans

Decreased employer contributions to DC plans

Reduced/eliminated cost of living adjustments

Other

Replaced a defined benefit with a DC plan

Increased employer contributions

Replaced a defined benefits plan with a hybrid plan

Decreased pension benefits

Increased age & service req. for normal retirement

Increased employee contribution

New employees Current employees

Retirement Changes for New Employees: Trend

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

2012 2015 2018

Increased employee contribution

Decreased pension benefits

Increased employer contributions

Replaced a defined benefit with aDC plan

Other

Decreased employercontributions to DC plans

Impact of Cuts?

2.9 %

Private sector wage of new hires (prior to being hired by state/local government)

Authors of brief: L. Quinby, G. Sanzenbacher, and J. Aubry (BC-CRR)

Are your employees financially prepared for retirement?

28%

40%

33%

Yes No Don't know/No response

Are your employees financially prepared for retirement?

28%

40%

33%

Yes No Don't know/No response

Auto-Enrollment

See: slge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AutoEnrollmentSDPE.pdf

Does your agency offer financial literacy programs?

42%

40%

19%

Yes No Don't know/No response

Do you feel the compensation you offer is competitive with the labor market?

Wages: Benefits:

26%

69%

5%

YesNoDon't know/No response

76%

17%

7%

See: slge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2017-SLGE-State-and-Local-Government-Compensation-Infographic.pdf

0%2%

5%7%7%

10%12%

14%14%

19%19%

26%33%33%

36%36%

40%45%

52%55%

57%60%

64%67%

71%71%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

None of the aboveDon't know

Other"Stay" interviews

Job rotationsBonuses

Community support (volunteer, matching donations)Collaborative/distributed leadership

Employee skills assessments/personality inventoriesTransit benefits

Wellness programs: On-site fitness facilitiesWellness reimb. (e.g., gym, smoking cessation)

Leave benefits: Consol. annual/personal/sick leaveMerit-based salary increases

Employee satisfaction surveysEmployee development: Career paths/career ladders

Leave benefits: Paid family leaveMentoring

Employee development: Funds for training/tuitionOnboarding program

Employee development: Leadership developmentLeave benefits: Sick leave banking/donations

Recognition programsWellness programs: Informational

Employee development: In-house trainingExit interviews

Employee Retention and Development

2%

5%

7%

23%

26%

30%

37%

49%

60%

60%

65%

65%

65%

67%

72%

74%

79%

81%

86%

93%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Other

Managing contract personnel

Managing dual-agency personnel

Employee financial literacy

Internship recruiting

Reducing employee retirement plan costs

Public perception of government workers

Reducing employee health care costs

Turnover

Managing workload w/hiring constraints

Creating a more flexible workplace

Workforce succession planning

Diversity and inclusion

Retaining staff needed for core services

Competitive compensation package

Employee development

Employee morale

Leadership development

Employee engagement

Recruit/retain qualified personnel

Looking Ahead…Challenges:- Recruitment- Compensation- Managing workload- Turnover

Opportunities:- Employee and leadership

development- Maintaining morale- Fostering diversity and

inclusion

Other responses

Looking Ahead: Trend

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2012 2015 2018

Recruitment and retentionof qualified personnel

Employee morale

Competitive compensationpackage

Turnover

Creating a more flexibleworkplace (e.g., job sharing,outsourcing, hiring retirees)

Aligning Leadership Goals and Workforce Strategies –

CitizensOVERALL FOCUS

• Better customer service

• Support and continuation of programs

• Deliver high-quality service

• Branding and perception of state government

HR/WORKFORCE IMPACT

• Employee performance management

• Classification and Compensation Programs

• Aging workforce

• Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent

• Employee Engagement Programs

Aligning Leadership Goals and Workforce Strategies –

Fiscal Constraints

OVERALL FOCUS

• Reducing operating expenses and waste

• Transparency and accountability to taxpayers

• Media Scrutiny

• Improve Efficiency - Do More With Less

HR/WORKFORCE IMPACT

• Classification/Compensation Programs

• Healthcare Benefit Programs

• Digitalization/Modern Benefit Programs

Aligning Leadership Goals and Workforce Strategies –Economic Development

OVERALL FOCUS

• Investments in public safety, education and health and human services

• Attract new businesses

• New and expanded revenue opportunity

HR/WORKFORCE IMPACT

• Succession Planning

• Aging Workforce

• Recruit and Retain Top Talent

Creating top talent strategies

A clear and relevant organizational

mission and vision

Conduct an analysis of the human capital

needed to accomplish mission

Identify talent gapsDevelop and

implement plans for current and future

talent needs

Talent Solutions

ROI Merit Systems

Recruitment Applicant Experience

Sell State Government

Talent Solutions

Pay Mutual Value

Career Continuous Learning

Recent SLGE Workforce Research

Succession Planning

• Staff Sharing • for Public Health

Current Workforce Projects

• (1) Managing the Future State/Local Workforce and (2) Future Workforces of Transportation Agencies

• Local Government Financial Literacy

• Cross-Jurisdictional Staff Sharing for Public Health

• 2019 Workforce Survey

Email : gyoung@slge.orglscott@csg.org

Twitter: @4GovtExcellence@NASPEStateHR

Questions?